Righteous anger.
I’ve been thinking about righteous anger-what it is and what it isn’t-quite a lot lately. After I spent some time reading the thoughts of the saints and the holy scriptures, I realized this is more of a long-form blog post discussion than a 2000 character Instagram post. But I’m a little rusty on old-fashioned blogging so bear with me as I try something new. ;) See, I really doubt that there’s much that I can add to the wisdom found in the Bible and in the words of our saints, but perhaps I can share how their wisdom guides and inspires me.
Righteous anger is godly, for thus says the Lord:
‘Vengeance is mine, and recompense,
for the time when their foot shall slip;
for the day of their calamity is at hand,
and their doom comes swiftly.’
For the Lord will vindicate his people
and have compassion on his servants,
when he sees that their power is gone
and there is none remaining, bond or free.
-Deuteronomy 32:35-36
Righteous anger does not involve a fit of passion that turns us to sin, but rather a pondering and listening to the Lord. My very first inclination should be to direct my righteous anger at my own sinfulness.:
Be angry, and do not sin;
ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent.
-Psalm 4:4
Righteous anger is rooted in that which angers GOD, not that which angers men.:
In the temple [Jesus] found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade.”
-John 2:14-16
Righteous anger is rooted in truth, and in a loving relationship. We can (in fact we must!) be angry and avoid sin. This is very important.
Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.
-Ephesians 4:25-27
Righteous anger is inflamed most of all by blasphemy and profaning that which is holy. My personal frustration: our culture is currently obsessed with charity towards other people and yet… we are willing to allow the profanation of the Holy Eucharist in doing so?
How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
-Hebrews 10:29-31
Righteous anger, assiduously guided, brings about a world that reflects the justice of God. As Saint Augustine says. we must not let our hope remain idle, but instead allow righteous anger to give us the courage to do whatever little role God has allowed us to have a part in.
“Hope has two beautiful daughters; their names are Anger and Courage. Anger at the way things are, and Courage to see that they do not remain as they are.”
-Saint Augustine of Hippo
In order for our anger to be righteous, we should diligently seek to remove all unrighteous anger from our lives. I pray God gives me the grace to stop being angered at the littlest things and save my anger for the things that make God angry. Namely, sin, especially blasphemy and profanity,
“He that is angry without cause, shall be in danger; but he that is angry with cause, shall not be in danger: for without anger, teaching will be useless, judgments unstable, crimes unchecked."
-Opus Imperfectum, which Saint Thomas Aquinas attributed to Saint John Chrysostom
Righteous anger should always, always, always be guided by virtues, especially the three theological virtues (faith, hope, charity) and the four cardinal virtues (prudence, justice, fortitude, temperance). We must use right reason and the tenets of the faith to guide us.
"We must beware lest, when we use anger as an instrument of virtue, it overrule the mind, and go before it as its mistress, instead of following in reason's train, ever ready, as its handmaid, to obey."
-Pope Saint Gregory the Great
Righteous anger corrects vice and contributes to a just society.
“It is unlawful to desire vengeance considered as evil to the man who is to be punished, but it is praiseworthy to desire vengeance as a corrective of vice and for the good of justice; and to this the sensitive appetite (here St Thomas means emotions or passions) can tend, in so far as it is moved thereto by the reason: and when revenge is taken in accordance with the order of judgment, it is God's work, since he who has power to punish ‘is God's minister,’ as stated in Romans 13:4.”
-Saint Thomas Aquinas
I believe our culture has elevated niceness (not genuine kindness) and pacifism (avoiding conflict, but not necessarily being a peacemaker in the Biblical sense) to the primary societal virtues, thereby contradicting the teachings of Christianity. In this way, Christians who stand up against true evils are often accused of being bothersome or causing division and even of being “un-Christian.”:
“So every one who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven; but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.”
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.”
-Matthew 10:32-34
Did Jesus come to teach us how to be nice and not bother anyone? In a word, NO. Jesus was not nice. He was GOOD. And that which is good is often far from being easy or comfortable. Jesus was a deeply disconcerting Man, a thorn in the side of every type of sinner, great and small. He Who loved all with wild abandon and unfathomable depths also commanded repentance of all.
Please don’t misunderstand my meaning. Recognizing this “divisive” side of Jesus does not give us license to unchain our emotions and act in sinful ways. Scripture and the saints make that abundantly clear. Righteous anger is not vengeful. It is not wrath, nor is it rooted in pride. One who feels righteous anger does not seek to punish others simply for the sake of proving a point. Righteous anger has nothing whatsoever to do with getting our way or achieving our own ends.
God is Truth. He is Justice. He is Love (charity). All of our actions, when rightly ordered, are a reflection of His image in us.
In order for righteous anger to be a reflection of Him, it must be rooted in truth and reason, it must be constrained by justice, and it must have the intention of bringing about a repentance so that the one committing the wrong will see the error of his or her ways and seek a deeper relationship with God. And of course, it should always begin with self-reflection.
So how do I personally determine whether what I’m experiencing is righteous anger or not? I ask myself a series of questions.
Is my anger rooted in truth and reason, and not fear, revenge or any other vice?
Is my anger directed at something that would offend God, or am I justifying my own personal feelings, discomforts, or pride? (Not sure where to start? Take a look at the Ten Commandments, especially the first three, and then search the Bible for “sins that cry out to Heaven for vengeance.” There are several biblical references.)
Do I love the person with whom I am angry? Do I love them enough to desire, above all things, their salvation?
If I can honestly answer these three questions in the affirmative, then I believe my anger is justified and I must then determine whether there is a course of action God is asking me to take. I then ask the Lord to give me the courage to accomplish His will.
God of justice and mercy, God of truth and love, enlighten our minds, enliven our hearts, and give us the courage and fortitude to complete your will.
Blessed Mother, Queen of Peace, ora pro nobis.
Saint Joseph, most prudent and just, ora pro nobis.
All the choirs of angels, ora pro nobis.
All you holy men and women, ora pro nobis.
